(Part 3) Top products from r/RedditLaqueristas

I'm in my last year of my bachelor's, majoring in management. Mechanical engineering sounds incredibly interesting and complicated. I thought (not too seriously) about going farther in education, but I think I would only consider it to teach at a university level. Maybe someday. Do you mind sharing what you plan to do after you graduate? (feel free to answer via pm or not at all. I don't know anyone studying that kind of thing so I'm just curious.)

Yeah, the multiple coats seems to be a me thing then... I sometimes actually hold my nails up to the light or shine my phone flashlight at them sideways to test if I need another coat. My last manicure I did one coat too few and it drove me nuts until I took it off. I also like the thickness to my nails from the extra coat or two so that's a bonus.

I'm also thinking the Pro 45 from RCM. I can't justify double the price for 15 seconds either. Now I just wait for 20% off. (Didn't see the 50% BOGO sale but I probably wouldn't have bought more anyway. I have more colors than I use and I tend to stick with gray, black, or seasonal neutrals anyway.) You seem to have been researching the RCM lamps, do you know if the Pro 45 has different buttons for the different cure times? I found a seller on Amazon that at least had pictures of the box, https://smile.amazon.com/Red-Carpet-Manicure-Pro-Starter/dp/B00662Z24A/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1542260313&sr=8-1&keywords=pro+45+red+carpet , which lists the recommended cure times for Structure, Color, and Brilliance on the back, but I haven't seen it clearly spelled out if there are multiple buttons for the different times or just one. I might just be missing it because that seems like a primary, advertise-able feature?

At first I was doing a new manicure every week, a habit I went back to when I was working a job that cut my manicure life down. Now that I've tried most of my ideas and have started to repeat, every two weeks is plenty. I might have to change my prep method though, maybe I could avoid some of the lifting. Do you use prep products or just the alcohol? I agree that partial curing from the picture window was the likely downfall of my black polish. It hasn't happened to any others and even though it's still usable and fine, I've learned my lesson.

You're more than welcome for my shared information and thank you so much for sharing yours! I love to jump into discussions about gel because it doesn't get mentioned here all that often, and I love a good conversation about a shared interest.

Hey!
I think I have similar nails, thin, bendy, ridge covered, uneven smile lines, etc. I used to try to follow blog suggestions on which polishes to use and how to apply them and it never worked for me. But I LOVE painting my nails, so obviously I had to figure something out.

I wipe my nail free of oils with pure acetone, but I do not dry them any more than that. I used to use a ph balancer, rubbing alcohol, various other products marketed towards drying out your nail to keep polish on, but they didn't really help.

I use a base coat that is slightly ridge filling and slightly strengthening. I tested out a LOT of base coats before I found the one that works well with my nails. I needed something that would make my nails bend less, but not make them so hard that they would crack or break. I tried some that would make my nails so hard that they would basically shatter. I ended up really liking this one.

So now that my nails were bending less, it was time to use polishes. They were still peeling off in one big sheet. I decided to stop buffing my nail and let my ridges grow in to their full height haha Although the ridges sometimes slightly showed through the polish (if it was a thinner polish), the polish was lasting longer. I also used to get acrylics (like over 10 years ago) and found that the buffing they did was way too much and my nails wouldn't hold polish for a few weeks after taking them off.

SPONGING. okay, so sponging is the best thing i've ever done. Usually I use it for doing nail art, BUT it makes regular polish last a lot longer for me too! So instead of brushing on the polish, I apply the polish to a makeup sponge and dab it on my nail. I do a few dabs on each nail, and then go back in for a second and sometimes a third coat. It applies the polish in a thin coat and gets in all the little dents and cracks.

I prefer a really thick top coat that dries in a reasonable amount of time. I like Seche Vive (not to be confused with Seche Vite). It covers any remaining ridges, is super glossy, doesn't shrink, and seems to last well on my nails.

I moisturize probably 20 times a day? haha I don't count, but I do have a bottle at every sink (so I moisturize after washing my hands), at my work desk, by my door (the outside air is somehow also drying), and beside my bed. I don't like the feeling of nail oils, which apparently really do help the nails and skin around your nails, so this is how I try to get in as much moisture as I can. I really like the Vaseline Healthy Hands Stronger Nails lotion.

I don't cut my cuticles or hangnails. I just aggressively moisturize them and push them down as needed.

Hopefully some of this helps.

It's kind of trial and error but I have had good luck with these!

• LED lamp
  
  
• Base coat and top coat
  
  
• Structure gel (if you have weak nails, it is like a strengthening clear coat you put in between base coat and color coats)
  
  
• Color polish: you can use any brand. I like Ukiyo, Gellen and Sexy Mix but these are all pretty much the same in terms of quality. You can also go to stores like Sally Beauty or Ulta and buy gel nail polishes in person but they're much more expensive, around $10-15 for a single bottle.
  
  The other accessories you will want are lint free pads and rubbing alcohol, and typical nail stuff (clippers, cuticle pushers, acetone, etc).
  
  There are also tons of accessories that are fun with gel nail polish like nail powders, striping tape, glitter, gemstones, etc. I'd highly recommend picking up a black polish and a white polish too for nail art and stuff.

Take care of your cuticles. This video was very helpful to me. If you don't want to remove your cuticles, keep them pushed back (although if it's been a while since you have pushed your cuticles, you may find it easier to just remove them and then keep up with pushing them). A decent cuticle pusher will help keep them under control. I prefer to use a tool like this one that also has a trimmer on one end - I use the trimmer to any hardened skin that's formed at the corners of my nails.

That being said, you should also use a cuticle cream or cuticle oil to help keep the skin around your nails and your nail bed moisturized. I like this cuticle cream, but I have heard wonderful things about Lush's Lemony Flutter as well (it's expensive but trust me, that tub will last you forever). Sally Hansen also makes a cuticle oil that gets the job done just as well. I use my cuticle cream at least once a day (sometimes twice) and it's amazing how much that alone has helped my nails.

If you're constantly messing around with your nails during the day (picking, biting, etc), try your best to curtail that. If a nail is peeling, resist the urge to bite it and file it down instead. Also, file your nails in one direction only - that reduce the risk of splitting the nail.

Lastly, I second the vitamin suggestion. YMMV, but a lot of people find that biotin and prenatal vitamins are very helpful for nail growth. If you want to go the biotin route, I suggest coupling it with a daily multivitamin (which will provide vitamin E as well as all the other important stuff).

Polishes - Brands

• Essie
  
  
• OPI
  
  
• China Glaze
  
  
• Sally Hansen
  
  
• Sinful Colors (cheap, but good for colors she'll use a lot, like black and white)
  
  Polishes - Colors
  
  
• White
  
  
• Black
  
  
• Pink (get more than one)
  
  
• Nude/Cream
  
  
• Her favorite color
  
  Tools
  
  Don't worry too much about getting "the best tools" if she's just starting. As she starts painting, she'll realize what tools she likes and which tools she doesn't. Ebay/Etsy/Amazon $5 tools are fine to start out with.
  
  
• Dotting tools
  
  
• Brushes
  
  
• Sponges
  
  
• Stamping kit (if you're feeling fancy or advanced.)
  
  Misc
  
  
• Mani/Pedi Kit (its possible she may have these tools, in which case skip this one.)
  
  
• Nail File
  
  
• Orange sticks (again, she may have these. Skip it if she does. Also she probably won't ever need 100, just wanted you to see what they were.)
  
  
• Acetone or Nail Polish Remover (100% Acetone is much more concentrated than most polish remover, but it can be very drying on your skin. I use it for clean up, but if she's just starting out, nail polish remover should be fine.)
  
  
• Cotton balls
  
  
• Something to carry all this stuff in (I have a pink tool box, but a make-up box will work too)
  
  I've given you a lot of stuff to check out, but don't run out and buy everything at once. I would pick 3 or 4 things from this list and go from there. For a very basic "start kit" I'd go for two colors of polish, dotting tools or brushes, a mani/pedi kit, and something to carry it all in. You can always get her more, or she can add to her collection herself.
  
  Best of luck!
  

I like to use a sugar scrub 1-2x a week.

Bliss Kiss, Ever After Cuticle Oil and Crelly, Chirality, and Cuter Cuticles, and are some of my favorite brands for cuticle oil. (You could likely find Burt's Bees in stores.) Or you can be boring and just use straight jojoba oil mixed with a little vitamin E. But whatever you find to use, cuticle oil 2-4x a day.

Keeping your nails painted will help you not bite them. Make sure you wipe your nails with alcohol/acetone before you polish them to remove any natural oils. It'll help polish adhere better. When polish starts to chip, remove it and reapply more asap to keep from picking at it and damaging your nails further. There's no miracle cure to instantly improve nails... they have to improve from inside out, and any improvement has to grow out naturally.

Learning to not bite and pick at the skin will be the hardest part... thankfully a lot of skin products taste like crap, so that will help you learn avoidance. Getting your hands and skin healthy should start to improve your nail condition.

Of course !!
First you will a stamper !!

Some stampers are sticky or non sticky. They both work, just depends on your preference.
Like this

Stamper

Or like this

Squishyone.

I use old gift cards to scrap the nail polish off my plates. Watch a YouTube video to see how they do it. The trick is not to do it too hard !

Many plates work great but these are my favorite and easiest to work with
Pueen encore set

I also like moyou London plates, and born pretty ! They work great

As far as nail polish goes you can't stamp glitter!

I use sinful colors to stamp on top of my mani. Black/white stand out the most !
Just have fun stamping and don't give up. It's all trial and error !

someone (who I've already forgotten, sorry!!!) JUST posted this which I imagine would get her off to a good start, if she doesn't already have a zillion randoms around. Sephora by OPI might also still be on sale and super cheap. They have colors/strips/and remover I think? Otherwise just amazon around, you can get striping tape for practically nothing, and rhinestones and fimo canes, oh my! That sound get her started.

I buy cheap polish for like accent colors, because I will probably almost never paint all my nails...yellow for instance. Otherwise I like Essie and OPI the best. You also may want to look into some of those clear plastic drawers for storage as well. Hope it helps!

i'd recommend getting a well-made crystal nail file like this: https://www.amazon.com/OPI-FI031-Crystal-Nail-File/dp/B000PHKE0O

using a nail oil a few times a day will keep your nails healthy and flexible, which prevents breaking or snapping. i like to use the oils from this etsy shop called VibrantVinylsShop (so many scents to choose from! and the cuticle oil is great to massage into your nails as well.)

as for shaping, from the photo your thumb, index and middle finger nails are round while the ring finger is rounded at the tip but has sharp corners on the sides and your pinky finger is square with sharp corners. these sharp corners are the reason for the breakage. squoval is meant to have a flat tip. a rounded tip isn't squoval, even with squared edges.

here are 5 common nail shapes: click here for pic as you can see, even the square shape has somewhat rounded corners while still retaining the shape.

i would recommend gently filing the sharp corners, just enough that they aren't super sharp, then let your nails grow out a bit before trying to re-shape them. my hands are similar to yours and, before i took up guitar, my nails were round/oval. https://imgur.com/T2Jfw4R the way i filed my nails, with my crystal nail file, is with gentle pressure in one direction in the shape of a "U" around the nail tip.

so yeah, give your nails a rest from the filing for now. soften up the sharp corners on your pinky and ring finger nails. let your nails grow out so the tips are above your fingertip, then (gently) re-shape them to the length and shape you want. :3 try squoval first if you wish. if you truly don't like the flat tip, it'd be easy enough to simply file corners to make them round. :D

Cuticle cream helps A LOT. It keeps your cuticles from getting dried out and gross, which can be a big problem when you do your nails a lot (nail polish remover dries them out super bad). I use Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream and love it! it works well and smells good too :)

Also try to use non-acetone nail polish remover rather than acetone as much as possible. Sometimes its hard to avoid (like with glitter) but acetone is much harder on your nails/cuticles. I like to keep a big bottle of non-acetone remover which I use the majority of the time and a small bottle of acetone for especially tough manicures ;)


As for your actual nails, invest in a glass nail file like this. It will help prevent your nails from splitting or breaking. Filing in one direction helps with this as well.

Hope this helps! :)

A couple years ago for Christmas my boyfriend got me a gel polish kit. He got me this polish kit, this UV lamp, and some UV damage protecting gloves. I can't speak for anything else since I haven't used other products, but I really like using it! My biggest gripe is that the gel polishes in my kit are not very opaque. It takes many many coats of polish before it starts looking like a solid color. Also, the colors that are shown on the caps are not really accurate to how they come out on my nails, which can be a bummer. One time I wanted cherry red nails and they came out more pink. I'd like to eventually invest in some other brands of polishes to see if I get better results. The gloves are pretty nice so I'd recommend those if you are concerned about UV damage on your hands. As far as actual UV lamps goes, I don't see how there could be too much difference between them, unless you got a tiny one-nail-at-a-time lamp vs a full sized one. Overall I think it's been worth having the kit. I don't use it very often, but still really enjoy it when I have the time!

you mean holo, short for holographic. there are two types, linear and scattered. scattered holo looks like rainbow micro glitter. linear, by contrast, is the holy grail of holographic. it reflects in striations of rainbows that look unreal. that's where it looks like your nails are going POW! ZING! LASERS!

if you want a classic silver holo, the most intense ones i own are nfu oh 61 or color club harp on it from the halo hues collection. you can also look for layla hologram effect in mercury twilight.

Nfu Oh will give you the most intense crazy laser nails but cannot be topcoated, which makes it fragile. but it will blow your mind. i mean like distract you from your daily business kind of blow your mind. it's unbelievable. you'll want to base coat with a ridge filler or the nfu oh aqua base (just a handy base coat to have for FX polishes anyway). as for the other two, i prefer not to top coat color club or layla holos, but i can't remember if it actually kills the effect or just dulls it.

if you want one that's a bit less well known but gives you intense silver holo that you DEFINITELY can topcoat without dulling the effect, i recommend face stockholm athena

incidentally if you like a black holo, i highly recommend layla flash black or color club beyond. black holo is amazing. google it. it's jaw dropping.

if your preference is scattered holo i can make a few recommendations but my gut says you're looking for linear.

I used to be a nail biter too. This is what helped me:

•Carry a nail file around. Glass nail files are the best IMO. They can take some getting used to since some people get a "scratching on chalkboard" effect when the file at a certain angle. Just file them whenever they get uneven or jagged.

•Use nail strengtheners. I like Nail Tek Foundation since its matte and it makes it difficult to peel or bite layers off. It also makes your nail polish last a long time without chipping.

•Moisturize your cuticles. There are tons of moisturizers out there but it all boils down to which one you think you'll commit to using daily. I like Lemony Flutter because it's creamy and smells like lemony pastry. My sister uses Mango Mend because it has a vaseline-like texture and she prefers the sweet fruity scent.

What you'll need the most is motivation. Look at tutorials and pictures. Soon enough you'll catch Lacquerista Fever like the rest of us.

I'm in school to be a vet tech and am also a shelter volunteer, so I know this problem too. My best advice is to keep everything moisturized, including the nails. Use a good cuticle cream (I like LUSH's lemony flutter or Burts Bees lemon cuticle balm). I've noticed that my nail polish lasts longer when I take care of that. I've also had good luck with a sticky base coat like ORLY Bonder. It's hard to find a combination that will stand up to this kind of wear, though. I usually have to redo my nails if I've been doing a lot of cleaning/sanitizing or wearing gloves for long periods, like in lab.

I've always had this problem. Try taking some supplements. There are a few hair/skin/nails supplements that can help, but I've found a few things that really help.

1. Don't pick off your polish. This was my biggest problem. I love doing it, especially with glitters, and this ruins the top layer of your nails.
   
   
2. Buy a strengthening base coat. I've used several of them. Out of all of the one's I've tried OPI Nail Envy seems be the best for my nails. If you ever skip polish, a few coats of this will help seal the flakes and harden the nail so it doesn't break off as quickly. If you are painting your nails--it makes a great basecoat and prevents the polish from staining your nails. http://www.amazon.com/OPI-Original-Nail-Envy-Strengthener/dp/B000ORNKHY/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1372775387&sr=1-1&keywords=opi+nail+envy+nail+strengthener
   
   
3. Like u/paper_paws said -- file in one direction. I have a 4-sided block buffer that I use at most twice a month to file down the ridges and buff out the flaky areas if they get bad. http://www.amazon.com/Shiny-Block-Buffing-Shine-Buffer/dp/B0037O2J7I/ref=sr_1_4?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1372775474&sr=1-4&keywords=nail+buffer

I do not use gel for the simple reason that buffing the nail thins it out. This will make your nails weak and flexible. Further, improperly-removed gel polish will damage the nail surface. The best option would be to take a break from gel, paint with nail polish, and grow your nails out for a few months, which will restore the thickness and strength of your natural nails.

However, if you cannot abide getting rid of gel for a few months, you can use UNT Peel-Off base coat, found on Amazon and some other places. It’s a little expensive right now... I bought some a couple of months ago and it was like $10 or something. Don’t know why the price jumped. Anyways, using this peel-off base coat underneath a gel manicure will make it much easier to remove the mani and will nullify the need to buff your nails before you begin. However, your mani will not last as long - maybe a week or so before it wants to come off. I would recommend this video which uses the UNT-gel technique I just described to see that in action.

Hope this helps!

I typically recommend the Winstonia stamper, but I don't know what shipping would be like for you since it's not prime eligible. I would recommend skipping their scraper and using an old gift or credit card instead. It's worked well for me!

• I love my nail polish racks. I get to enjoy looking at them everyday. Acrylic Racks
  
• This brand has some AMAZING polishes. Aengland
  
• You should post a pic of her nail polish stash so we could give you a better idea of what she might like.

Yep I actually funded most of it by asking for an amazon giftcard! I ended up getting a UV light, and semi wish I had splurged on an LED just because it takes longer to cure nails under UV. [This is a good starter set for all the base/top coat stuff](NEW Gelish Fantastic Four Soak-Off Gel Nail Polish Kit For LED Lamp | 01787 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FXXS37G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_CHfcgVKDc1gDB) and [this is the lamp I got](USpicy MACARON 36W Nail Dryer UV Lamp/ Light Upgraded with Sliding Tray & Timer Setting, SPA Equipment + FREE USpicy Highly UV Protective Gloves https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004WAGFQC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_bLQTBsz3aSUtG)

It came with a set of Born Pretty stamping plates. Here’s the amazon listing: amazon.com/dp/B01M7ZVEQP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_EEjEAb34ESM55

The polishes I had on hand (sinful colors) weren’t really working and the staff at my local beauty store said Essie’s polishes would work best (compared to what they had in store).

If you don't mind waiting awhile for some plates to come in I've had really good luck with bornpretty store. I've even bought their clear jelly stamper and I've not had any issues. This is a crowd favorite stamper


For plates bornpretty, bundle monster, pueen, and winstonia all stamp very easily. Depending on how much you want to spend it can get a little pricey for plates...that's mostly because I have an addiction.




Check out their websites for bornpretty and bundle monster. Most of the time its cheaper to buy directly from them than to purchase it on amazon. Shipping from bundle monster is normally less than a week.

While it still takes 10-15 mins of soaking (after careful filing), Gelish brand polish has worked really well for me and I love it. I have this set.

Best wishes! Good luck! Removal of the gel is the hardest part for me, too.

Personally I wouldn't push the cuticles, before I started doing my own nails i hated it when they would do it at the nail salon. I use cuticle eraser whenever i paint my nails and I also rub healthy hoof in every day and moisturize with hand cream (i got that as a gift though, probably any lotion would work.)

I use nailtiques formula 2 as a basecoat. the past few months my nails have been very peely so I have not been painting them as often, just doing clear coat twice a week. I also trimmed them all the way down (not a problem for you yet!) because of that. I started taking biotin last week too, and i've been trying to take all my vitamins (D3, B12, multi) and drink at least 64oz of water a day. I don't have a biting problem but one or all of the products i use make my nails taste awful when i accidentally touch my lips so it might help with the biting.

It sounds like a lot of work but if you leave all your nail care stuff near a place where you spend time sitting still or whatever (I have all my stuff on my work desk) you will see it and remember. I also have a checklist for the water, vitamins, etc so i remember every day.

good luck! i managed to get a coworker to quit biting her nails but now she has a big time indie polish habit so not sure if i ruined her life or not haha

First, I would always suggest keeping some sort of nail polish on your nails. It puts a protective layer over the top so they will be just a little bit stronger. I have never used coconut or almond oil to moisturize my nails, I use healthy hoof. Its a nail cream that really seems to help me with dry cuticles and nails. Something along those lines should benefit you.

I recently discovered this video and she explains a lot about how to file and shape but also some basic nail care. She also has a massive list of resources in the description that should be helpful.

What kind of gloves do you wear for work? They shouldn't be causing your nails problems, gloves are there to protect your hands and nails.

Not OP but I also do gels at home. I have the Red Carpet Manicure kit (PRO edition, cures faster) and it works great. I've been using it consistently for over a year now and it still works good as new. A bit cheaper than OP's as well. Ulta sells them and of course you can find it on Amazon.

Thank you, this is perfect and the price is amazing! Just incase y'all are interested I just created an amazon account for this awesome deal on 48 polishes!!!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C94ZIOS/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used the small end of a Born Pretty stamp I got in a bundle. I actually take the bigger stamp off b/c the small end works great for me; I use the large end’s opening as a viewfinder for placement. Some images pick up better with a rolling motion, others with a quick press. I then press straight down on the nail for a second or so. Different polish brands also require different stamping techniques b/c of drying time, viscosity, etc. The same goes for plates. That’s why I buy lint rollers at Costco 😂 (oh, and living with 4 pet bunnies and a long haired hubby).

tl;dr: buy lint rollers in bulk b/c trial and error

Here is a link to the bundle.

Gelish is a brand of gel polish that wears 14-21 day. This is the first time I'm trying it and I love it. Super easy to apply, I am on my 3rd week and no chipping yet (though I did get tired of the original color so applied the regular polish over Gelish).

I've got this lamp based on recommendations from some other Reddit Laquerista. I also got this set which I think of using as a foundation to protect my nails.

Same plate for both, actually! Winstonia 302.

These are pretty great plates, although I find the more intricate ones a little hard to transfer sometimes.

Winstonia Third Generation Nail Art Stamping Image Plates Set 20 Pcs - Full Plate Designs for Unlimited Creativity https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00US684HC/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_Iw8nxbGCFFQFY

This is what's in my kit, aside from the polishes themselves; I [personally] get most of my things from Sally Beauty Supply, Amazon, and local drugstores/Target type places. Polishes come from anywhere I find something pretty.

Migi Nail Art

KISS Nail Artist Paint (Available at most drugstores. Another brand is LA Colors)

Dotting Tools

Nail Art Brushes

Cuticle oil/lotion

Superfine glass/crystal nail file

Nipper tool (I prefer Tweezerman; they haven't gone dull like the Sally Hansen ones I replaced did.)

Nail polish thinner

Little cups for water marbling (my bf brings home Dixie sized cups)

Practice nail wheels

Stamps! I prefer Konad (deeper engravings, the sides aren't sharp, prettier images), but also have BundleMonster (cheaper, more expansive packages; have cut myself a a few times, some images aren't very deep and don't hold much polish/transfer well).

French Manicure tip guides (some girls use hole reinforcements (also good for half moon manis) or tape)

Scotch tape

Vaseline (for water marbling)

Wedge makeup sponges (for gradient manicures)

Nail glue

Silk Wraps (available online or at a beauty supply store) What Are Silk Wraps?

Mixing palette (or paper plates, etc.)

Angled brush for cleanup (I also have pointed qtips, but the brush is much, much more precise.)

Tiny coffee straws (for splatter/drip manis, etc.)

Loose glitter, rhinestones, fimo sticks

Ummmmm....quick, someone else keep the list going!

Yes. It looks a light purple in the jar but dries clear. I usually only put on one thin coat. Sometimes two if I'm working. I love it. They feel as hard as acrylics. it's thicker so I picked up a $5 brush from Sally to put it on.

it's this stuff

You may want to find a nicer one that comes with a little case maybe. Something like this http://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Glass-Inches-Carrying-Sassella/dp/B00283O7LK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1394848897&sr=8-2&keywords=glass+nail+file+with+case

That way it's secure in your purse or wherever you keep it. I don't think they break that easy though.

Nail oil!
and streghthener/hardener as well as regular shaping. My index and middle fingers peel if I don't file at least 1x every 4 days.

Bliss Kiss nail oil is my holy grail nail oil. http://www.amazon.com/Bliss-Kiss-Simply-Cuticle-Starter/dp/B00DIJPH5I

Thank you!
I used this set


I bought them from Amazon. The set comes with four plates, a scraper, and a stamper

The basic how-to is: You put polish on the design plate, use a stamper to pick it up and then press it onto your nail.

There are tutorials on YouTube where you can see the process in more detail. I don't have a link handy or I'd happily share one!

You're welcome! I was the same way-I used to buy those drug store ones and wondered why glass files were supposedly amazing if they wore out so quickly.

I really like this one: to amazon!
It's slightly pricey (6.49) but comes with a carrying case (silly but surprisingly useful).

Actually called structure gel not strengthening gel. I didn't use it as a top coat, but on top of a powder before a final top coat. Also used it over a base coat before using any actual polish. It's pretty versatile.

There are loads of great silver holos out there! One of my favorites is Layla 'Mercury Twilight,' and you can get it at some ULTAs and off of Amazon.

Simply Pure nail oil

On mobile so I hope that worked.

Put this on your nails a few times a day & your nails will improve. My nails used to peel like crazy so I couldn't grow them out. I've been using this for over 2 years now & my nails don't peel so much, they're stronger, more flexible (so they bend instead of snap off), & I'm filing them down every week because they grow faster.

I had the same problem with my clear stamper until I tried just barely touching the plate to pick up the polish. So now I just lightly roll my stamper over the plate to pick up the image and it works. The sticky VAGA stamper is really good to start with though, picks up images easily but you can't really see where they are going. I used this one almost exclusively for a long time because you can smush it down without light pressure. I've only recently figured out how to work my clear stamper :P

Thanks! The plate is Pueen 18, found here. The base color is Sally Hansen Peach of Cake (the complete salon manicure line) and the stamping color is Sally Hansen Orange You Cute. (I actually got the Orange You Cute in a combo pack from Big Lots just a couple of weeks ago for about 7 bucks with 4 other colors!) It wasn't too opaque really, so I was shocked at how well it stamped.

Are you using a metal scraper? I've only used a metal scraper, but I have heard that this could make a difference in the quality of the imagine.

You can get them from many shops where you would buy nail care products (I don't really know american stores but I think you have Boots & Sallys?) or Amazon.

They can be re-sharpened by dipping in boiling water, and cleaned/disinfected too so they're more hygenic and they are gentler on the nail. They will also get the edge feeling smoother.

One website for you.... Amazon.com! You can get all sorts of stamping plates there. Just do a search for nail stamping plates and you'll get more than you know what to do with. I'd also recommend a larger rubber stamper if she has larger nails or likes to stamp in one swipe over her entire nail. I wouldn't worry about special polishes. I have several stamping polishes, but I usually just use my regular polishes. Most of them work just as well.

Urban Outfitters! $10 a bottle, they're amazing. I have pink, silver and black. As for my lemmings that I lust after, it would be these beauties

It's 2 plates from this set. I just got them and love this collection.

Do you still have a base and a top coat? They're both really important to reduce staining and chipping, and to increase longevity of your manicure.

What's your budget like? Base your purchases off of how much you're willing to spend, and how big you want to go. I'm a college student, but I have no real bills and nails are my only money-consuming hobby, so I get mid to high tier polish.

Dotting tools, a cuticle pusher, and a buffing block are my top three supplies, aside from acetone, cotton balls and polish.

UNT Ready For Take Off is the peel off base coat, it's the granddaddy of them all!

Simplynailogical video to show it off for ya!

Thanks! They're from this set.

Yes! It's on plate #5 here (bottom left).

I have seen a lot of places online selling gloves that are supposed to be used with these. They go on before you put on the polish and they don't have finger tips on them. I am sure that this would help keep this from happening again.

http://www.amazon.com/UV-Protection-Glove-Finger-show/dp/B007XMRJI4/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1342880407&sr=8-7&keywords=gel+nail+polish+gloves

http://www.amazon.com/Escali-GLOVES-Dryer--Expose-Nails/dp/B0083XGNWK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1342880407&sr=8-3&keywords=gel+nail+polish+gloves

http://www.amazon.com/ROYAL-NAILS-GLOVES-LIGHT-EXPOSED/dp/B006L6WNVG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342880407&sr=8-1&keywords=gel+nail+polish+gloves

It's from this set: Winstonia Third Generation Nail Art Stamping Image Plates Set 20 Pcs - Full Plate Designs for Unlimited Creativity https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00US684HC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_uRUAybX77XFSQ

Plate W315

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006L6WNVG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1377465421&sr=8-1&pi=SL75

something like this.

Amazon has a few options

wall rack holds 96

Polish Table Rack holds 60ish

Here you go! I guess it's not an off-brand and I've seen it at Ulta but it's much cheaper at $6 with free shipping than Nail Envy. Also, I've heard some pretty negative things about Nail Envy and this has never failed me.

My nails get flakey at the tips and start to peel. I use Healthy Hoof Cream. I got mine at CVS for $7ish

Ready for Takeoff by UNT

Edit: it may be cheaper from other websites depending on shipping

https://www.amazon.com/BORN-PRETTY-Stamping-Templates-Manicure/dp/B01M7ZVEQP/ref=sr_1_5_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1518906334&sr=8-5&keywords=born+pretty+stamper Here's the bundle I got to start with.

https://www.amazon.com/BORN-PRETTY-Bottles-Stamping-Printing/dp/B06XSCXLYB/ref=sr_1_8_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1518906401&sr=8-8&keywords=born+pretty+stamping+polish
And the stamping polishes. Stamping polish really made a difference for me- normal polish doesn't always adhere to the stamper and stamping polish is made to be really opaque.

Moisturizing your cuticles and this...

http://www.amazon.com/Shiny-Block-Buffing-Shine-Buffer/dp/B0037O2J7I

Amazon link. There are a few different vendors selling them at similar prices with varying shipping fees.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00662Z24A/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Another option would be another stamper. Also had problems to center my designs (had the same stamper), but it's so much easier since I got a large squishy one. Because you can just put it in the middle of the finger and press down (doesn't really work with the usual Kodak one because it's too hard).

Use one of these things to smooth the edges of your nails. You want rounded corners and no snaggly bits. https://www.amazon.com/Shiny-Block-Buffing-Shine-Buffer/dp/B0037O2J7I